Investigation launched against OC, constable
A constable was closed to district police lines in Barishal on Monday, following an allegation of torturing a woman at Ujirpur Police Station.
Naimul Haque, additional superintendent of police, said, “The order came as we primarily found Constable Zahidul Islam of the police station involved in the torture.”
The woman -- Rashida Begum -- told The Daily Star that she along with her daughter Fatema Begum, 16, went to the police station on August 19 to file a case accusing two local influential men of abducting her another daughter Sonamoni, 13.
Officer-in-Charge Sishir Kumar Paul, however, refused to record the case, slapped Fatema and forced them out of the police station, said Rashida, a widow.
“Afterwards, I went to the superintendent of police on August 20 and filed a complaint against the OC, seeking justice,” said the 45-year-old.
“Later, my abducted daughter returned home safely,” the woman said.
“Meanwhile, my landlord seized my household goods over a rent-related dispute. I went to Barishal range DIG (deputy inspector general of police) to get those back. The DIG asked the OC to look into the matter on September 2,” she said.
“OC Sishir Kumar called me to meet him at the police station and I went there on September 10,” the woman added.
“I was waiting at a tea stall in front of the police station as the OC asked me to do so. At that time, Constable Zahid rushed there, assaulted me and pressed a burning cigarette on my face,” she alleged.
“When I went to the OC, he too assaulted me and drove me out of the police station,” Rashida further alleged.
Besides, OC Shishir put pressure on Rashida to withdraw the allegation from the SP office, she said.
A committee was formed to investigate the overall incident, said ASP Naimul Haque, chief of the probe body.
Superintendent of Police Saiful Islam said they visited Ujirpur, took statements of 10 to 12 witnesses and the two policemen.
Contacted, The OC refused to comment saying the matter is under investigation. Constable Zahid could not be reached.
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